They ignored each other for decades. Now, Turkey is making quiet incursions into Latin American markets as it searches for new friends. In a small town in southern Colombia, just before lunch, 51-year-old Marina Ortiz soaks up a tangy soap opera called Me Robó Mi Vida. Dramatic violin music opens a scene. Nothing unusual, until you realize that the actors’ lips aren’t moving in sync with the words you hear. This is a Turkish soap that’s dubbed over. And the soaps are just one sign of Turkey becoming increasingly visible in this region. Traditionally an ally of the West, Turkey has seen that support ebb away as its leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has turned more and more authoritarian. In the Middle East, a key market for Turkish goods, tensions with Saudi Arabia over Iran and Qatar and the ongoing wars in Syria and Iraq have hit trade. But now, Turkey is making forays into Latin American markets, without the chatter that has accompanied Chinese investments in this part of the world. | 